NHS Waiting List Passes 3 Million Patients

THE GUARDIAN – The number of people waiting for NHS treatment has hit three million for the first time in six years, amid warnings that the growing demand for care means it could soon start routinely missing key targets.

The latest official figures from NHS England show that in April a total of 2,993,108 patients were on the waiting list for treatment, supposedly within 18 weeks. However, the real total was more than three million because six hospital trusts did not submit data due to computer problems.

That was the highest number since the 3,057,163 recorded in March 2008 and led to claims by Labour that millions of people were now waiting in pain and discomfort to have an operation and that David Cameron had breached a key pledge.